


Another Sunrise

by MarnaNightingale



Series: All the King's Men [12]
Category: Horatio Hornblower - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-04-21
Updated: 2009-04-21
Packaged: 2017-10-02 08:10:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarnaNightingale/pseuds/MarnaNightingale





	Another Sunrise

June 12, '03. **Somewhere on the Peninsula**.

> ... as to the matter of W~, my Dear, the sun rises every morning, but never twice the same, nor is it quite the same man that sees it. Stint yourself nothing for my sake, nor him neither, I beg you, particularly in the matter of loyalty or affection, for having the marks of another sharp nip from the jaws of death fresh upon me, I tell you fair that I mean to live this new life in good earnest and give no quarter, and would see you do the same. You know by now, I hope, that I would always wish for your happiness and content, and that nothing of this sort can ever mar nor alter in any particular the kindness in which I hold both of you -- and you know also, or so I hope, that I am, if I may not quite say faithfully, at any rate eternally,
> 
> your  
>  A.

August '03. **Plymouth, England.**

Another small, anonymous room -- by mutual though silent resolve, they had bypassed their customary haunts in favour of one neither of them had ever stayed in before -- as far from the usual haunts of sailors on leave as they might go and still please their purses and satisfy the Admiralty that they might be found at a moment's notice -- _not tonight, I pray you_, Horatio thought, as he tucked the already-creased pages away once more and laid aside his breeches. He stifled a yawn, imperfectly, as he settled under his share of the blanket, making a small ceremony of untwisting his shirt, ending with a casual arm over Bush's waist, half-smiling at the almost-imperceptible stiffening of wiry muscle, the carefully steady breaths.

Horatio had lain awake for some time in his cabin the night before, considering the sort of repose he might look for in the single tiny bed that they had each assured one another was the most they ought to afford themselves ashore -- at least, if we are to enjoy our leave properly, Bush had added, then looked hastily aside at Horatio's glance. _I rather think that we shall lie awake again tonight -- well, tomorrow we may stay abed late if we choose to._ He shifted, carefully, so perilously near to the compact, wiry form beside him -- so familiar, so far as the share of a berth went; so unfamiliar suddenly in the dawn of this light -- nor am I entirely familiar to myself -- a Captain now, no longer a boy with a boy's freedom -- and he so loyal -- he must begin it, not I, or neither of us will ever be certain ...

He froze as Bush shifted and brushed against him, eyes shut fast still. A cautious test, or only the crowding natural to the size and condition of the mattress, sagging in its age, seemingly as determined as any matchmaker to throw them together all regardless? He wanted to laugh, even as he half-wished he could curse as he had heard Bush do, if only in the privacy of his thoughts -- the freedom of the boy might be long behind him now, but it seemed that he could still, at least in a case such as this, find himself eager and tongue-tied at a touch, blushing furiously, as grateful for the concealment of the gathering dusk as he had ever been for the dimness of a sail locker.

Bush was turning now, rolling onto his back in the hollow, setting his lean hip firmly against Horatio --_ well, I at least am past all hope of concealment now_ \-- as he settled against Bush's side, Horatio found that his hand lay comfortably across Bush's lean belly, cupping his hip, and his thigh stretched familiarly over his legs; he had draped himself across the lean form as naturally as he had used to sprawl over \-- the thought should have given him a twinge of conscience, he felt obscurely, but instead it warmed him, made him smile; he let the hand remain, and opened his eyes, to see Bush regarding him soberly. He made to withdraw his hand; found it caught, held. He waited, silently, until Bush spoke.

"I've been thinking of him all day, almost seeing him here, between us," Bush said, and Horatio nodded. "He would have died for you. Meant to die for you."

"Not only for me, this time. I think you may as well begin getting used to the always humbling and occasionally terrifying knowledge that you have earned the loyalty of Archibald Kennedy, sir." He laughed, softly.

Bush's frown only deepened. "And I ~~ is this the way to repay such extravagant loyalty? By making myself a sort of poor second~best to him, taking his place here, as I have already taken the place he might have had under your command?"

"Second -- yes. If you will. You are spared the idiot I was at seventeen, though -- consider that, if you will. But not second-best; never that. William. And -- gifts, he tells me, often and forcefully, are meant to be made use of and enjoyed. I used at first to put away all he gave me, thinking to keep it safe, before he taught me better." He watched Bush's expression lighten as he continued; "Not between us. With, but not between. But - I do not require this of you, you know."

"I know." Bush smiled, then, and pulled him down for a kiss with a strong, sure hand. "But I think -- I believe I may require it of you, Sir."

September 15, '03. **HMS _Hotspur_.**

> I enclose a sketch, done by an impecunious ~~ and insistent ~~ artist down near the docks. As you may see from her attempt at me, flattery is more her stock~in~trade than art, though she caught W~'s likeness very well indeed. Rare to catch him neither stern nor melancholy, and I am very grateful to her. I paid her enough for a second, fair copy, so you need not think that you deprive me of a memory; indeed, I count this as another you have made me a gift of, and had you not forbidden me the use of the word on dire penalty long since, I should dare to name myself as once more deeply in your debt.
> 
> And as for you, my rash friend, I had a letter from E~ not long since that I should have given a year's pay to have accompanied by sketches, if I read it aright -- I never thought to hear of you returning to Spain, and that along with his hints at the sort of company you found yourself in, "surpasseth understanding". That is a story I shall have from you when we meet again, rest assured, so you may as well begin its embellishment as soon as you find leisure to do so.
> 
> In the meantime, I pray you remember, O North, that wherever chance and my duty may take me, I am not entirely unskilled in navigation, and my compass is the one you gave me, true as ever, as is my affection.
> 
> God Keep you,
> 
> H.

October 1, '03. **HMS _Hotspur_.**

> ... events overtook your arguments before your letter reached me, as it happens.
> 
> From anyone else, my dear E~, I should very probably have taken exception to the employment of the phrase over~conscientious idiot ~~ I begin to know you a little, I think, and so I shall instead congratulate myself and take what pleasure there is to be found in admittance to the ranks of those it pleases you to address so freely. At any rate, you were right -- there, I have put it to paper for you. I expect therefore that you shall keep this page somewhere upon your person at least until I see you again, handy for crowing on.
> 
> ... as to A~, I shall not attempt to dissuade you from your efforts to exert a calming influence ~~ it will do him no harm, though I fear you will end -- as we all do, sooner or later -- with nothing for your trouble but impudence and a new scattering of grey hairs to mourn over. He will then quiz you about them, and by this you may know that he is grateful for your care. But I tell you what you know far better than I, and at any rate my leisure is at an end for now.
> 
> W.
> 
> PS On second thought, I may yet choose to take exception, when we meet again -- I advise you against that chance to hold yourself prepared to satisfy me in some suitable fashion.


End file.
